Chapter Thirty-Eight: Work

  Ash made sure to keep the head. He needed proof, after all. He surveyed the remains of the creature he'd defeated, turning over the strange carcass with the tip of his sword. The pyrewolf's body was more stone than fur and flesh, its form unyielding even in death. The skin had an unnatural texture, like cooled volcanic rock with patches of coarse, blackened fur.

  He knelt beside the creature, careful not to get too close. Even dead, there was something unsettling about it. The only reason his sword had plunged into the wolf's neck was because of the wolfsbane. Blood should have flowed freely from such a wound, but the pyrewolf's veins ran with something else entirely.

  "At least that poison was worth the cost," Ash muttered to himself as he considered the creature. Without the wolfsbane oil coating his blade, he doubted it would have penetrated the stone-like hide at all.

  He searched through his pack for something to help with extraction. Finding a jagged rock of suitable size, he began the grisly work of bashing out the teeth and claws. Each impact sent reverberations up his arm, the teeth stubbornly refusing to dislodge until he struck them just right. One by one, they broke free, and he carefully placed them into his glass jar, hearing them clink against the sides.

  The teeth were unlike anything he'd seen before—jagged, obsidian-black with veins of fiery orange running through them. Even separated from the body, they radiated faint heat. The claws were similar, curved like scimitars and just as sharp. He handled them with extreme caution, nearly slicing his finger open on one particularly keen edge.

  After securing the jar, Ash turned his attention to the chest. The ribcage was like a fortress of petrified bone. He hefted his sword and, using the pommel as a makeshift hammer, began to break his way through. The sound of cracking stone echoed through the cavern with each strike.

  "This thing really doesn't want to give up its secrets," he grumbled, sweat beading on his forehead despite the cool air of the mine.

  When he finally breached the chest cavity, what he found wasn't muscle and organs but a hollow chamber housing a large ruby-like stone. It pulsated with an interior darkness, as if consuming the light rather than reflecting it. The gem was the size of his fist, heavy and cold to the touch. Unlike normal rubies that glittered and shone, this one was dull, almost hungry in its appearance.

  "Strange," Ash whispered, turning the ruby over in his hands. The color was right, but there was no gleam to it, as if all light had been sucked into it, never to escape.

  He carefully wrapped the ruby in a cloth and placed it in the bag with the other parts. The lack of blood made the task far less gruesome than usual monster part collection.

  "There's no blood, so that's nice," Ash mused aloud, wry humor breaking through his fatigue. He had to take the wins where he could get them, especially after nearly dying multiple times in the past hour.

  As he gathered his trophies, he noticed Lilith hadn't approached the body. Instead, she was several paces away, pawing at the ground and growling, her attention fixed on a circular pattern of strange symbols inlaid into the stone floor. Her scales bristled, the purple color deepening with agitation.

  Ash walked over, the bag of dire wolf parts swinging heavily from his hand. "What did the circle do to you, Lils?"

  The dragon continued to growl, claws scraping against the symbols, as if trying to erase them from existence. After a moment, she shook her head vigorously, as if clearing something unpleasant from her mind.

  Ash knelt to study the circle. The symbols weren't like the scripts he'd been learning. They had a chaotic, almost visceral quality to them, flowing in patterns that hurt his eyes if he focused too long. He couldn't identify them or determine what they meant, but Lilith's reaction was enough for him to distrust them.

  "I don't know what these are either," he admitted, "but if you don't like them, neither do I."

  He considered copying them to show Amalia later, but something about the symbols made him hesitate. Instead, he committed the general pattern to memory, noting the way they spiraled inward toward a central point where the stone seemed slightly discolored.

  His arm throbbed suddenly, a reminder of his wounds. As he slung his backpack over his shoulder, the strap brushed against the puncture marks left by the pyrewolf's fangs, sending stinging sensations zig-zagging through his arm. He hissed, holding his breath for a moment and closing his eyes against the pain.

  The wounds weren't deep, but they burned fiercely, as if tiny embers were embedded in his flesh. Without a healing potion, he'd have to endure until they returned to town. At least they weren't bleeding much.

  Blowing out a breath to steady himself, Ash smiled down at Lilith, who had finally abandoned her inspection of the circle to return to his side.

  "Ready to go?" he asked, adjusting his pack.

  She snorted, studying him with those intelligent green eyes before shifting into her little girl form. Her transformation was fluid, purple scales melting into human skin, wings receding into her back. In moments, the fierce dragon was replaced by a small girl with violet-tinged hair and piercing eyes that remained unchanged.

  Ash nodded, glancing back at the ruined body of the pyrewolf and the mysterious circle one last time.

  "Not going to miss this mine, I'll say that," he murmured, leading the way toward the exit.

  The trek back through the mine was considerably easier without monsters lying in wait. Still, Ash remained alert, his hand never straying far from the hilt of his sword. The deeper they ventured into the tunnels, the more oppressive the air became, thick with the lingering scent of fire and stone. By the time they reached the entrance, daylight streaming through like a blessing, both were eager to feel the open air again.

  The walk back to Ivalia passed largely in silence, Ash lost in thought about what awaited them. With any luck, the pyrewolf would satisfy his hunt requirements, and the ruby would cover his debt to Skori. More importantly, the sooner they returned, the sooner he could rest and tend to his injuries.

  A loud cacophony of swearing spilled from Skori's shop as they approached, the dwarf's colorful language audible from halfway down the street.

  "Light, fucking, shadows take whoever did this, the gutter rats!"

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  Ash pushed open the door, bracing himself for whatever had incited such a reaction. Skori whirled around at the sound, face flushed with anger, mouth open to continue his tirade.

  "We are light-cursed clos—Oh. Hello, lad," the blacksmith said, his expression shifting from rage to recognition in an instant.

  The dwarf stood behind the counter, arms crossed over his broad chest, scowling at an empty display case. Glass shards littered the floor beneath it, and the lock had been forcibly smashed.

  "I take it something happened," Ash said, setting the bag and jar on the counter with a heavy thud.

  Skori grumbled, running thick fingers through his beard. "Some gutter shite stole my aspect crystals."

  Ash's brow furrowed as he glanced around the shop. Nothing else seemed disturbed—weapons still lined the walls, armor still stood on mannequins, and various tools and supplies remained in their places.

  "Just those?" he asked, noting everything else intact. "Seems like an odd choice when there's plenty of other valuable things here."

  Skori grunted in agreement. "Yes. Perplexed me too, but those crystals were bronze rank and quite valuable." He gestured toward the case. "Had a fire aspect, water aspect, and even a rare air aspect. Worth a pretty penny, those were."

  The dwarf cursed again, his palm slamming on the table with enough force to make the items on it jump. "I'll make a report to the guard, but it's doubtful anything will be done."

  "Why not?" Ash asked, though he suspected he already knew the answer.

  "It's too late. Whoever took them will be long gone by now. Bah!" Skori waved a dismissive hand. "It doesn't matter. I'll write off the loss." His eyes moved to what Ash had brought. "Come, let's see what you've brought me. Let's hope it's enough to make this day worthwhile."

  The dwarf lifted the bag, peering inside with a professional eye. As he sorted through the contents, his expression transformed. When he reached the ruby, his eyes went wide, his thick eyebrows shooting up nearly to his hairline.

  "Lad! Do you know what this is?" he exclaimed, holding up the stone with reverence.

  Ash shrugged, keeping his voice casual despite his curiosity. "Nope. Sure don't."

  Skori shook his head, turning the ruby in his hands with newfound respect. "This... lad... it's a dungeon core."

  The statement hung in the air between them, weighted with significance that Ash couldn't quite grasp.

  "You're going to have to elaborate," he prompted when Skori failed to continue.

  The dwarf frowned, seeming to wrestle with himself. After a moment, he set the stone down carefully. "I... no. I'll leave that for the school. They can explain it better than I do. It's valuable, is what you need to know. And it means that what you faced wasn't just a dire wolf, but a dungeon boss."

  Something in the dwarf's tone suggested there was more to it than he was letting on, but Ash decided not to press. There would be time for answers later.

  "Fine," he said instead. "Does it square our debt?"

  Skori eyed the ruby-like stone, turning it over once more in his hands, as if weighing its value. The red light from it played across his features, casting unusual shadows.

  "I would say it does," he finally announced. "It's not even bronze rank yet, but yes. This squares us. Ya can keep the teeth and claws since ya no longer owe me."

  Ash nodded, relief washing through him. The debt had been hanging over him for weeks, and now he was finally free of it. He tried to tune out the pain in his arm, but it must have shown on his face because Skori stared at him more closely, noticing the way he favored it.

  "Ah, lad, ya didn't emerge from that fight unscathed, did ya? Let's see here..." Skori disappeared into the back room, muttering something about stubborn youth and reckless fighters.

  He returned moments later with a small vial containing a familiar red liquid. "I won't charge ya for this one," he said, pressing the healing potion into Ash's hand. "Don't go tellin' anyone I was nice, ya hear? I have a reputation to uphold."

  Ash's lips quirked into a grateful smile. He took the vial, holding it up to the dwarf in a mock salute. "You got it, boss."

  Without further ceremony, Ash drank the potion, grimacing at the bitter taste that always seemed to linger no matter how many he consumed. The familiar, itchy feeling of his skin knitting itself back together spread through his arm, the burning sensation replaced by a tingling warmth.

  "Ya'll have to replace that vambrace, lad," Skori noted, pointing to the ruined leather armor. "Afraid I'm fresh out of freebies."

  Ash laughed, examining the punctured leather. "I think I could find something to trade."

  He flexed his healed arm, grateful for the dwarf's unexpected generosity. With his debt cleared and his wounds healed, things were finally looking up. There was just one more task to complete: reporting his success to his friends.

  The Adventurers' Guild was bustling when they arrived, filled with the usual mix of weathered veterans and hopeful novices. Rosalia spotted him first, waving him over to the table where she sat with Nick and Will.

  "You're going to pass for sure, Ash!" Rosalia said, her green eyes bright with excitement as she poked at the empty socket of the dire wolf's head he'd brought for proof. Her copper hair was pulled back today, revealing the full shape of her face and the faint dusting of freckles across her nose.

  "Light, a dungeon boss? Does that even qualify?" Nick growled out, taking a long drink of his water. The dwarf's dark eyes narrowed as he examined the severed head on the table with professional interest, his thick fingers stroking his beard thoughtfully.

  "It better," Ash stated, settling into an empty chair with a sigh. "Monster nearly killed me."

  The group sat around the wooden table, enjoying lunch in the relative safety of the guild hall. The scent of stew and fresh bread filled the air, along with the buzz of conversation and occasional bursts of laughter from other tables.

  "You'd live up to your name if it had," Will quipped, a tired grin stretching across his face.

  Ash stared at him blankly, not immediately catching the joke about his ash-colored hair and dying.

  Will sighed, running a hand through his own dark locks. "I'm tired, okay? You're getting the wise-cracking at a discount price."

  That drew a chuckle from the group, easing some of the tension that had built during their days apart.

  "What about you guys? Did you bag your monsters?" Ash asked, genuinely curious about how his friends had fared in their own hunts.

  They nodded, exchanging proud glances.

  "We're keeping proof in AG storage," Rosalia explained, tearing off a piece of bread. "They have a scripted room for the smell. Little costly, but worth it."

  "Turns out people look at you funny when you carry around bleeding monster parts; who knew," Will added with a theatrical shrug, earning another round of laughter.

  "Shadows take 'em if not, but do ya think they'll pass ya?" Nick asked after wiping his mouth with a cloth. His tone was casual, but Ash caught the underlying concern.

  Ash held up his hands in a helpless gesture. "I could ask you the same thing."

  Nick nodded, acknowledging the point with a grunt. "Light, they'd better. Trolls are weak to fire, but I couldn't afford the script for a flamin' light-cursed sword."

  Curiosity piqued, Ash leaned forward. "So what did you do?"

  Will snorted loudly, earning him a slap on the shoulder from Rosalia, who chided, "Let him tell it!"

  Nick sighed heavily, looking slightly embarrassed. "It's not funny. I lit it on fire."

  Ash frowned, trying to picture the scenario. "Uh. How?"

  "I tossed a vial of grease on it, then threw a torch at it," Nick explained matter-of-factly. "Went up like a bonfire."

  "He almost burned down the forest!" Rosalia added, unable to contain herself anymore. "Adventurers had to come in and use techniques to put it out! They're calling him Nick Fire-starter now!"

  Will howled with laughter, slapping the table. Nick scowled at him fiercely, his dark eyebrows drawing together.

  "How was I supposed to know the light-fucking monster would run into the forest?" he demanded, his accent thickening with indignation.

  Rosalia put a hand over her mouth, her face turning red with suppressed laughter. Nick turned his glower onto her next, which only made it harder for her to contain her mirth.

  Beside Ash, Lilith projected approval into his mind, evidently finding Nick's solution practical despite its unexpected consequences.

  "Lils approves," Ash translated, a smile tugging at his lips.

  Nick looked between Ash and the girl skeptically. "How do you know? Light, but the girl never speaks."

  Ash shrugged, unwilling to reveal too much. "She speaks plenty, trust me."

  Nick grunted, clearly unconvinced but not interested enough to pursue the matter further.

  "What are your plans while you wait?" Rosalia asked, changing the subject. "There's still a week and a half left of the hunting portion."

  Ash ran a hand through his hair, considering. With his debt to Skori settled, he was free to focus on other concerns, like preparing for the rest of the entrance exam.

  "I plan on earning as much money as I can," he decided. "That means gathering ingredients and monster parts. Should keep me sharp for the individual duels, too."

  The others nodded in agreement. They all understood the value of staying active and prepared.

  “That’s a good idea, Rosalia. We should. We’ve come a long way in the last couple of weeks.”

  “I’m not fightin’ ya, no way,” Nick shook his head.

  “Why not? You used to beat me all the time.”

  Nick laughed, slapping the table,

  “Ash, friend, that was when you couldn’t use elar. Now that you can? Especially after that duel with Torin? Nah, shadows take that idea. Ya’ll win every time.”

  Ash said nothing, just bowed his head so they couldn’t see him go red.

  “I’ll take you,” Rosalia said, eyes determined.

  “You might win every time, but that’s how you improve. How about before lunch every day outside of the guild?”

  Ash flashed a thumbs up,

  “Sounds like a plan.”